Foam for Brake and Fuel Lines (Side-by-side RVs)

rv9builder · #1 02-12-2007, 08:46 AM

Drawing 36 for the RV-9A says to "isolate fuel and brake lines with foam sandwiched between the F-972 forward bottom fuselage skin and F-982C center cabin cover." Does anybody know what kind of foam is recommended by the factory?

Thank you,

akarmy · #2 02-12-2007, 09:02 AM

I actually made some blocks out of a section of UHMW plastic. I drilled holes the right size for the fuel and brake lines, then cut through the middle to so that I could put one on the top and one on the bottom with a couple of screws to hold the half sections together.

In the background of this picture you can see the lines and the spacer blocks...

JonJay · #3 02-12-2007, 09:12 AM

I went to the local hardware store and picked up some poly tubing, same stuff you have in your kit, only larger diameter. Split the tubing and slide full length onto the fuel line. The idea is to protect the line from vibration, chatter, and rubbing on the fuselage and the cover.

Steve · #4 02-12-2007, 12:14 PM

I used the high density black&blue foam used as end packing on my wing spar crate. I used an exacto knife for trimming.
Steve

Finley Atherton · #5 02-12-2007, 01:44 PM

I used two sheets of ?? ?Super Soundproofing Sheet? (from Aircraft Spruce) with the fuel and brake lines plus the wire bundle sandwiched between. I cut the sheets to fully cover the floor under the centre cover so they should also provide some level of noise insulation from the exhaust (the remainder of the floor is insulated with the foam material that came with my Flightline Interior Kit).
Fin 9A

cleve_thompson · #6 02-12-2007, 04:01 PM

I used Dow blue foam from Lowe's. I think that by now you have enough suggestions to realize it is not critical. I had the same questions when I first saw this mentioned in the plans. Van's just said to use foam. I tried plain Styrofoam and it fragmented but Dow blue did well.

SmittysRV · #7 01-26-2010, 07:01 AM

I like Finley's idea. So I am doing the same. Soundproofing and Sandwiching at the same time. I like it!

http://www.smittysrv.com/more_stuff.asp?ID=644

Slingshot · #8 01-26-2010, 08:45 AM

My solution to this was found at Lowes. They have a nice white poly...? foam normaly used as a spacer between large glass bricks. This is neat stuff. It's the right thickness and it won't take a permanent set, you don't have to buy a big sheet and it's cheap. Three layers adds up to exactly the distance between my bottom skin and the cover. This stuff cuts easily with sizzors and glues quickly with contact cement. Cut your top and bottom then the spacers around the tubing. Glue this up and you're good to go. Have fun.
Bob Whisler (Lowes has it, HD does not)
RV-7A, finish
Dayton, OH